BJJ epiphany - flow like water, have I got it right?

I was going to post this in Ultra Newb BJJ tips but I thought I better get it checked before I start touting it as gospel.

I have been doing BJJ for about a year, 6 month regularly then the last 6 months whenever I can, usually about once a week.

I have been really struggling lately just trying to progress and getting no where.

Yesterday it's the end of class and I am rolling with my coach and he says to me "You are using too much strength you are getting worn out". I try and slow down and I think I am doing better, then he says to me,

"Stop trying to push where I am resisting, move somewhere else"

BAM - Just like that everything speeds up and I am using a lot less energy, within the space of a heartbeat I am having fun again.

I actually joked that why didn't he tell me this 6 months ago.

Anyway I have summarised it in my own mind to flow like water around my opponent. If he resists move elsewhere, he can't resist on all planes of movement at the same time.

You probably were told this 6 months ago, but it just didn't register with you. Don't worry though this is fairly common. Pretty much every epiphany I've had was something that my coaches had actually been telling me all the time.

It's a speech I give every month or so. You can't just flow in the beginning. You need to cross the first bridge and then the next. It does not help just to tell you.

This reminds me of all the fantasy books where the wizard tells the young adventurer he cannot tell him the things he's seen and it's the journey...but then again, there's **** you should say like "that dragon will eat your cawk off if you piss over that ledge, so avoid it, it's not character building," but I digress; I think it's a great thing you bring this up every month, Omega.

I've found with my time in grappling, the key to ephiphany moments appear to be linked with experiencial understanding of positions/movements/foundations and that I COULD NOT have done something (technique/movement) to the level I understand it without first spending the time on other things LEADING TO THAT POSITION or that type of movement etc etc.

There is no quick way to learn by doing, except get started now and NEVER STOP! Also, great to hear :).

Its all well and good to "be like water", but it doesn't seem like one of those epiphany kind of things since its very vague. Striking while imagining that you're fast like a gazelle isn't really enough to make you faster, and imagining you have roots won't keep you from being taken down. These mental mnemonics may help in the beginning for pointing you in the right technical direction, but the "how" part of "be like water" isn't something that automatically sorts itself out.

Its all well and good to "be like water", but it doesn't seem like one of those epiphany kind of things since its very vague. Striking while imagining that you're fast like a gazelle isn't really enough to make you faster, and imagining you have roots won't keep you from being taken down. These mental mnemonics may help in the beginning for pointing you in the right technical direction, but the "how" part of "be like water" isn't something that automatically sorts itself out.

This. My Jiu Jitsu instructor always talks about the "philosophy of Jiu", meaning "soft" i guess, but he explains it as conforming your motions with your partner/opponent in lieu of resisting them outright. Push when pulled, pull when pushed (kind of).

That kind of explained itself for me at least. "Be like water" just makes me think of that bruce lee interview. "Become the cup"

When rolling concentrate on your breathing and learn to relax. Learn where the leverage comes to play in every technique. Learn where are the weak spots in the body. Remember a strong person's strength will only do him good if the person he is sparring with resists. Always assume the person you are going against is stronger than you this way you know you can not rely on strength and you will be forced to rely on your technique only. Learn to get comfortable and defend in bad positions and don't act like every sparring match is a tournament match.

Remember the real goal of training in Jiu-Jitsu is not about winning gold medals but rather learning how to defend yourself in a real fight and surviving. I always come across Jiu-Jiteiros that can't fight because they rather spend their training on winning tournaments but yet can't even defend against a simple punch. What is the use of being a black belt and can't even fight a bum on the streets.

When I am in the position of missing a lot of classes I try and convince myself to do 10 5 min rounds with a 1 min break against a swissball(or what ever you call them) where I just keep in constant motion and try and keep constant pressure on the ball. It really helps with keeping your whole body flowing and transition from one position to another. I know this isn't exactly the type of flow your talking about but what ever helps helps.